It’s nice living in Florida to not have to pay a state income tax. But those savings become a distant memory when we pay for car and home insurance. And home insurance rates are about to skyrocket, according to a new story out this week from WUSF.

They say according to the Insurance Information Institute, Florida homeowners can expect to see another jump of up to 40 PERCENT on home insurance rates this year. How does that compare nationally? They say the average Florida homeowner pays about $4,200 a year for home owners insurance. The rest of the country? $1,544!

So what’s causing that enormous gap? 2 big culprits are Hurricane Ian and a lack of competition. Insurers keep leaving Florida because there’s so much risk. And let’s not forget those roofing scams because that’s certain a factor too. They say Pinellas County in particular is getting hit the hardest here in the Tampa area. [Source: WUSF]

Photos From the Ground: Weekend Clean Up In South Florida After Hurricane Ian

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  Whitney Hall waves to a friend from the remains of his home while waving the American flag amidst wreckage left in the wake of Hurricane Ian on the island of Matlacha.

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  James Pironti washes off the muddy money he recovered from his bedroom in Fort Myers.

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  A storm damaged Bentley rests against a tree in Bonita Springs, Florida.
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  A fish lays on the road after Hurricane Ian passed through the area in Fort Myers.

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  Wheels peek out of the water in Fort Myers Beach.

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  Sanibel Island, Florida.
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  Members of the Indiana Task Force 1 Search and Rescue team look for anyone needing help in Fort Myers.

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  A resident of a neighborhood flooded by the rising Myakka River carries her dog after being evacuated in North Port.

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  Dan Beazley rolls a cross through an area where homes were destroyed in Fort Myers. Mr. Beazley said he brought the cross with him to help hurricane victims with healing and love.
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  People talk near boats resting on a sidewalk Saturday in Bonita Springs, Florida.

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  The wait in line for gas Saturday in Bonita Springs, Florida.

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  A resident paddling a kayak returns to his home with supplies in a neighborhood flooded by a rising Myakka River in North Port, Florida.
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  A storm damaged residence in the wake of Hurricane Ian on Sanibel Island, Florida. Known for rescues in Afghanistan and Ukraine, the Project DYNAMO team was unable to make contact with the person they were searching for.

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  Bryan Stern, right, Dean Calderone, and Alexander Toal, left, of the Project DYNAMO rescue organization, look into a garage on Sanibel Island.

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